This kid went to school here in Faribault, and was set ready to graduate this coming weekend. Very sad deal, indeed. Anybody have more information?

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Teen Killed In ATV Crash

May 31, 2005 7:05 am US/Central
Pilot Mound, Minn. (AP) A Faribault, Minn. teenager is dead after an all-terrain vehicle crash in southeastern Minnesota.

Fillmore County authorities said Russell Johnson, 18, was riding an ATV near Pilot Mound, Minn. when he apparently lost control of the vehicle on a road.

Johnson was thrown from the ATV as it went through a fence and came to rest in a pasture.

Family and friends were looking for Johnson when they came across the accident.

Johnson was taken to Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn. where he died Sunday.

Pilot Mound is about 25 miles southeast of Rochester.

 

I see that KSTP ran an "ATV Crackdown" story, possibly triggered by this incident, at the 10 p.m. news tonight.

It showcased a high school student in Maple Grove that was in a coma for a few months regarding an ATV accident while he was working for a landscaping company. His father said "The ATV" swerved to the right into a tree, and caused him dramatic brain damage.

His father stated he is not Anti-ATV. He just stresses the importance of having a proper ATV Safety Training Class.

I was all ready to rant given the "ATV Crackdown" title, but the story didn't seem to have anything to do with an ATV Crackdown. Anyone else think this story was a little weak?

 

I really hate reading these... myself and Whodatinthemud have read enough of these. Then I read the causes.. like riding on the road, which by default results in excessive speed.. a suggestion that the kid may have lacked qualified training.. perhaps didn't wear proper safety gear etc.. the list is long... and ultimately, under our control if we paid a little more attention.

The bottom line is that Parents, and children/riders alike need to understand that these machines are quite capable of killing or severely maiming you... By jumping on that saddle and twisting that throttle, you MUST be cognizant of the dangers that are lurking under your butt. Being willing to accept those risks is one thing... knowing how to mitigate them, and taking direct action to put those plans in place is a responsibility that should be hammered home time after time...

To paraphrase a well known ad campaign from my childhood.... "only YOU can prevent injuries"

Not legislation, not blitzkrieg media scare tactics etc... only YOU and ME can fix this.

 

It's true, most of these are rider error in one way or the other.

It's sad, really sad that anyone has to die in an ATV accident. Of course a percentage of them are just accidents where the rider did everything right, it happens.

However, it seems that 7-of-10 times a lot of these deaths were because of poor rider judgement in some manner. No helmet, double riding, riding on paved roads etc.....

In Syracuse last month a story hit the news after a 14 year old was killed on an ATV. The story was about the dangers of ATVs, of course they showed 25 year old 3-wheelers in the TV clip. As the story went on with teary-eyed family member saying how much they will miss him, they go on to say that he AND his older cousin were riding when THEIR ATV went over an embankment and into a ditch. They were double riding with no helmets.

It seems like these stories are all too common. Last year I can recall at least two seperate stories where kids were killed when their ATV was hit by a car while crossing roads.

Perhaps these news stories should focus on the dangers of improper use of an ATV rather than the danger of ATVs themselves. In and of themselves ATVs are not dangerous, it's how they are used but people can't seem to differentiate the two.

There is enough of a risk involved in life not to take precautions when you are in operation of any machine be it a car, tractor, train, bus or ATV.

 

thats what so sterotypical of ATV's, just because some1 get's hurt doesnt mean its because of the quad, alot of the time its the judgement of the rider like u guys have stated, i ride fast and to some it may seem out of control to them but i'm expierenced enough and have had my accidents to know where i can go fast and where i cant, when i cross a major road i look both way's 2 to 3 times, its just those small things that can make a big difference when u add them all up

 

You just hit the nail on the head my friend... Judgement, or the act of making wise choices is a learned response. Not something that anyone is born with. It is called life experience..... I cringe every time I read about a parent placing a 4 or year old on one of these, let alone anything faster than a 50cc that is severely limited in speed capability. Then there are those that are always looking for more speed because Junior has outgrown the machine's capability..

The point here is that we focus so much on the PHYSICAL ability to hold on and punch the throttle, and we spend little or no thought on the ability to THINK.

Kids under 16 and many adults way above that arbitrary line are not equipped with the skills or experience to make those wise decisions.. especially when they quickly find they are in an emergency situation that you don't have any time to think your way through... you must be capable of reacting without thinking.. and that is not something young kids are capable of.

It takes hours, months, and sometimes years of practice.. all with Safety being hammered into them until it becomes a natural thing.

I get the same feeling of forboding when I read a newbie thread and they are wanting to jump right to the ultimate in sport or utility model, without any experience other than their buddies telling them they need a Raptor, or some other crotch rocket on 4 wheels. It really makes me cringe.. and then there are those that are willing to put their 6 year old on a full size machine, or at least one that is too big for them because they feel their kid can grow into it...

When spending serious cash, I can relate to wanting to get the best that your money can buy.. but sometimes that is inviting disaster.. and we need to be fully aware of that. Not only for ourselves, but for our kids that depend on us to make the wise decisions. They may not be satisfied with a smaller machine purchase... but at least they are going to be alive to file their complaint.

The bottom line is that even though we all may think the CPSI guidelines are bogus.. there has been a lot of thought put into them.... and statistically speaking... they are spot on for the MAJORITY of NOVICE riders. What they are lacking is a mechanism to move up as skills and experience improve.. but that is a whole another story...

 

Funny how when some dies or gets seriously injured, its the fault of of the "Dangerous ATV". When somebody dies or gets injured in a car wreck, the first thing you hear, is whether the the driver was impaired by alcohol or drugs or too tired. Even road conditions and weather are in question. Media puts a great spin on things.

 

ATV's are the fruit of the month that have stayed around as far as the media is concerned. The popularity of ATV bashing has become ni Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word  for many outsiders as well. The Environmentalists want to keep the wilderness all to themselves.... The emergency room and orthopedic doctors want to get rid of them because of the injuries.. although statistically speaking, a person or child is more likely to get injured on a bike... and then the land owners are hopping mad over the damage being done in their fields by those who would tresspass to get their fix... knowing that it is darn near impossible for law enforcement to chase them down...

We are imploding... not a trend a lot of us want to see happen for a second time. (Remember the 3 wheeler debacle?)

Active involvement and personal responsibility are paramount. Proper training, and parental responsibility are key to our success.

 

Dragginbutt:

It's funny you said that. Just the other night my wife and I were watching "America's Funniest Home Videos" and one of the "funny" videos was some moron father putting his kid on a LT50. The kid could not have been more than 2 years old, 3 at the most, he didn't even have the motor skills to hold on properly. Sure enough the machine took off accross the yard and smashed into a line of garden blocks, sending the kid flying into the air and off the machine.

I did not think it was funny at all, nor did my wife. And we were pissed at AFV for showing this as something funny. Just shows how ignorant people are.

 

Sign of the times I guess.. . As parents, we all succomb to the my kid is superior and can do <insert favorite> syndrome. We all want our kids to grow up sooner, excell in everything, and be our shining example of our parenting... What a crock!!!

Let the kids grow up on their own schedule. Give them instruction in telling the difference between right and wrong... show them there are consequences for all their actions, and teach them to respect others.. even when the other person doesn't respect them back. Help them learn to make good choices...

I may never have a superstar athelete, nor may my children ever become a CEO in some major corporation.. but they open doors for others, smile and say hello to everyone they meet on the street, know right from wrong, and are respectful to everyone. In short, they are givers, not takers.

No parent can ask for anything more than that.

Success isn't measured in speed, trophies, or the amount of hang time they can get.. Success is knowing how to love.. and be loved....